Turkey continues to employ hostile tactic in the maritime region of Cyprus, this time threatening the US 6th Fleet.

The Fleet was to participate in a naval exercise in the region from March 7. The Fleet remained stranded in waters between Cyprus and Turkey, prevented from approaching Limassol.

The presence of the US navy in the region was seen in Turkey as being associated with the ongoing explorations for hydrocarbons, Turkey’s main target being the survey ships of oil giant Exxon Mobile, which the 6th Fleet was presumed to have been protecting.

“The Republic of Cyprus would not be allowed to get away with selling the energy resources surrounding the island,” Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said, threatening that such “provocative activities that create faits accomplish will be responded to in an appropriate fashion.”

“The natural riches surrounding the island of Cyprus is the common wealth of all the people who live on the island.”

Turkey campaigns for the co-exploitation of hydrocarbons by the Turkish-Cypriot community, in partnership with the state of Cyprus. Last month, Turkish war ships managed to temporarily block explorations in the region, when the drilling ship commissioned by Italy’s ENI came under threat.